


Tongue-Tied

by ereshai



Series: Various Prompt Fills [25]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Ficlet, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 13:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3611922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ereshai/pseuds/ereshai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unflappable Agent Coulson has become supremely distractible - under certain circumstances.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tongue-Tied

**Author's Note:**

> For a prompt from a prompt meme: tongue-tied.  
> Previously posted on my tumblr.

It’s an interesting phenomenon, Phil losing his train of thought in the middle of a briefing. In the past three months, it’s happened at least eight times, which is eight times more than it had ever happened in the decade Melinda has known him. 

He’s fumbling through his ninth incident, covering the rest of his lost sentence by paging through his mission packet - as if Agent Phil Coulson was ever less than fully prepared for a mission briefing.

The cause of Phil’s verbal stumble, Probationary Agent Clint Barton, is sitting obliviously in his chair, taking notes and nodding along. From what Melinda can tell, based on her close observation, the common denominator for every incident seems to be a combination of direct eye contact followed by a brief smile (Barton) and unconscious lip-licking (Barton again). She can’t fault Phil’s taste - just his distractability.

Everyone else is looking at Phil with varying degrees of disbelief, concern, or mild exasperation. The briefing resumes and continues without further problems. Once it’s over, everyone files out the door. Barton is still in his seat and Phil is at the front of the room, gathering up his papers. Melinda hangs back, just behind Jasper, who seems to have had the same thought.

“Hey, boss, can I ask you something?” Barton says in a low voice.

“Of course. What can I help you with?” Phil sounds like his usual self. Melinda admires his strength of will.

She doesn’t hear what Barton says next, but Phil’s response is clear.

“Um, I..Let me…I think…That sounds…ah…I’m not sure…I mean-” He snaps his mouth shut, takes a deep breath, and tries again. “Yes, I’d love to.”

Melinda pushes Jasper through the door and risks a glance back, a smile creeping across her face when she sees the two men beaming at each other. It shouldn’t be so cute, but in this line of work, she takes the good things where she finds them


End file.
